Gabi's Big Decision
by AnOxymoron
Summary: Gabriella and Troy are set to go to the East High reunion. But when Gabi chooses to attend her sophomore year high school's reunion instead, she begins having second thoughts about the marriage that was supposed to be perfect but is certainly NOT.
1. First Choice

**Here it is, please R&R**

**Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Tragic, isn't it? **

**-------------------------------------------------**

Gabi was nervous. More nervous than she had been in a long time, and she had been nervous quite a lot lately.

Anyone who had known her for a long time could probably tell that she was nervous; she was pacing, something that she never did. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she went right, left, right, and left, following a straight line, behind the coffee table that bore a smoking ashtray, a pack of Camel cigarettes, an empty can of Beryl Minnesota beer, and the envelope.

The envelope that had come early that morning by FedEx, the envelope that could possibly change everything. She hated looking at it; it burned her eyes each time she caught a glimpse of her own name, GABRIELLA MARIA MONTEZ, the name she could still remember shakily penning on the forms as she prepared to spend her sophomore year at the Yvonne Practical Institute for Girls in Ford Springs, NY. The name that had been listed as valedictorian in her graduating class in East High. The name that had changed, though the alumni association at East High could not have known this, to Gabriella Maria Montez-Bolton.

She was shaking now; she reached for a cigarette from the pack and then withdrew her hand. Troy was trying to make her quit cold turkey, but they had compromised with getting rid of one cigarette a day each week. At the peak of her smoking addiction, she had been doing a pack a day, which was fourteen cigarettes. In the three weeks she'd begun the decline, she had narrowed it down to eleven a day and had gained two pounds. She was upset about the extra weight, but glad that she was finally weaning.

That day, she'd already smoked her maximum along with a couple glasses of wine to calm her nerves. She didn't need anymore vices; she only had a couple minutes before Troy's car was sure to pull into the driveway.

Things had not turned out how someone might expect it, Gabi thought. Anyone from the Wildcat gang at her junior/senior years would've thought that if Gabi and Troy ended up married, they would pop out kids and live a happy, rich life with Gabi as a famous scientist or singer and Troy as a b-ball superstar. And that was how they thought it would be, too.

She had drifted away from all the Wildcats except for Troy after graduation. She lost touch with them through mishap after mishap; her only connection to Troy was that she had a scholarship to Albuquerque U too, and eventually ended up joining him at college. They rarely saw each other, but still knew where the other was and could meet up on the weekends and free evenings.

Taylor had gone to the Madam Curie Institute for Scientific Prodigies, which was located somewhere in Newark. Kelsi had gone to the Beethoven Brothers & Sisters Choir Charity, a non-profit organization that did soul-singing for the impoverished community in New Mexico, giving young children a chance to discover their voices for no fee.

Sharpay, with whom Gabi, Troy, Kelsi, and Zeke had reconciled with during senior year (Jason, Chad, and Taylor were too set in their ways to give in to her), had gone to Juilliard on full scholarship. Ryan had split with her, for the first time finding true independence by choosing his apprenticeship at Steps on Broadway over following Sharpay like an obedient puppy.

Gabi had to giggle a little when she thought about the short-lived, long-distance romance she had had with Ryan for two weeks after graduation. She and Troy had taken a hiatus after some ridiculously complicated falling out at the diploma ceremony, and for a while at Albuquerque U, they weren't speaking to each other. Troy was upset that Gabi had gone to Ryan and found 'love' in him, but once Gabi apologized and broke up with Ryan, they started dating again.

Since the breakup, Gabi had not spoken to Ryan personally; she had only heard of his whereabouts from everyone else. He'd gotten a job in a modern dance company. The last she'd heard of him (which had been several years ago), Kelsi had given up her position as a Beethoven Sister and become a composer for his company, and they were engaged to be married.

She had lost touch with Ryan and Kelsi first. Then somehow, Taylor's phone number had gotten deleted, and their once thick-as-thieves friendship had dwindled to an occasional email.

While she was losing her Wildcats, she was also graduating from college and doing small productions with a local drama company while Troy was still a member of the Red Hawks.

On her twenty-fifth birthday, she had been greeted with the wonderful news that Troy was permanently injured, and could no longer hope to be a professional basketball player. He had retired before he peaked and gone on to do office work, which tortured her just as much as it did him. By that time, they were engaged, and had been since they left college and moved in together. They married a year after Troy's injury, and Gabi found a consistent job doing secretarial work. They were forced to move because they were evicted, and went to a small-budget one-story house on the outskirts of Albuquerque. The stress surrounding their financial problems had been the jumpstart to Gabi's smoking habit.

The move had completely diminished her hopes of getting back in contact with the Wildcats. Email addresses, pieces of paper with phone numbers, mailing codes, and everything else pertaining to contact info was lost in the clearing-out of their house. They started anew as regular everyday American citizens.

Chad, Zeke, and Jason were the only ones they saw. Chad and Jason were professional players on a collegiate team, which, despite their overage status and dashed hopes of becoming big NBA stars, meant they were featured on television fairly often. And Zeke had his own extremely successful cooking show called "Closet Gourmets", which not only showcased excellent recipes but gave tips on how to hide one's obsession from suspicious or stereotypical friends.

Sharpay was long forgotten. She'd never been a true Wildcat anyways, and seemed ready to distance herself from her 'slummy' background the second she received her diploma.

Gabi sighed and closed her eyes, contemplating another glass of wine. She made up for all her small cheats by taking away from the next day's pleasures. An extra glass of wine meant one less cigarette, and vice versa. In her mind, it made sense.

She pictured herself as a bubbly high school girl, shy and talented, flirting with the then-superstar of what seemed to be the entire universe. When she opened her eyes, she flashed forward into the present. She was thirty-two, childless not by choice but by medical condition, married to the man she still loved but saw through different, more cynical eyes.

Her personality had changed along with her surroundings. She was tougher, much more sarcastic, and had altered her look. She wore cheap and occasionally profane clothing, and had died her hair with electric blue highlights that stood out against the charcoal shade. She never curled her locks anymore but had left them wavy when the time for cosmetics trickled away. Over the years it had flattened into a drab, straight mane, losing all of its former volume. She had also cut angry, spiky bangs as a last-minute decision, but they had grown out and made her look softer and younger, which she liked.

The sound of tires crunching gravel came from the front of the house, and she sat up straight immediately and started wringing her hands again, the nervous feeling filling her with adrenaline. A few seconds later, the sound of the lock clicking open came, and the door opened and Troy Bolton, aged many years from his Wildcat captain days, came in.

While Gabi's face had not changed much, Troy's had. It was more chiseled and masculine. The electrifying ocean lapis of his eyes had died out. It was still shockingly bright, but it no longer filled Gabi with the sense that he was full of life and joy. He seemed old, which was completely appropriate for both of them. Even though Troy was only thirty-three, he had aged considerably since graduation. They'd been through the works together, which meant they truly loved each other, but it was no longer a passionate and surprising love. It was wizened, careworn, but at least still present. Gabi was eternally grateful for that.

Troy smiled a little when he saw his wife, dropping his briefcase and holding his arms out for a hug. Hugs were as far as their affection went on workdays.

"Hey, baby," he said, squeezing her tightly.

"How was your day?" she stepped back, fidgeting.

"It was okay. Yours?"

"Good. Um, Troy?" she was practically shaking; he heard her concern in her voice.

"What's wrong?"

She took his hand and led him to the couch, sitting down next to him and folding her hands in her lap. "See, Troy, you know how the Wildcat reunion's in a week?"

Troy nodded slowly. They had planned a vacation to go sightseeing at their old hotspots; it was already totally mapped out. Their savings could just barely cover it, and she knew the getaway meant a lot to Troy, which was why she was so nervous.

"I can't go," she whispered faintly.

His eyes widened in shock and he stood up. "What? What's wrong?"

"I can't," she repeated. "I can't because the Y Institute reunion is the same day."

He looked infuriated. "But you graduated from East High? How can you even be invited to that seminary unless you graduated?"

"Mix-up," she shrugged. "I feel like I want to see my classmates again. You know, the ones who knew me before y'all."

He stuck his hands in his pockets, clearly trying to calm himself. When he spotted the ash-filled tray, his eyes widened in further anger. "Did you break the limit, Gabi?"  
She shook her head fervently. "Eleven exactly. Count in the pack, there's three left."

He sighed a little. "OK, Gabriella. Would you still mind if I go to the reunion and have our vacation, just without you?"  
She nodded frantically. "Of course. I'm sorry I can't be with you, but you'll still have fun, right?"

"Of course. Not as much." He smiled sadly and sat down next to her again, stroking her hair. "I love you, Gabi. You can do whatever you want with your life."

"I love you too." She took his free hand and returned the smile.

"What's for dinner?" the romantic minute was over; they were back to being a couple struggling to make ends meet.

"Beef stew, sourdough and potato chips?"  
Gabi watched him from the couch as he went towards the open kitchen. He had definitely gained some weight, but so had she, though not as noticeably as he had. She wished desperately to be back in his arms, a high school girl with bright prospects.

They sat down to dinner a few minutes later. Troy poured himself a glass of wine; Gabi started to, but at his reproachful look she simply grabbed another can of beer from the fridge. They ate in silence.

After clearing his plate, Troy went to their bedroom. Gabi lingered, cleaning the dishes and reminiscing about the Y Institute. It had been a great school; she had been terribly disappointed to leave after only one year. But that, she thought with a wry smile, was not entirely because of the curriculum…

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**There you go, Chapter 1. R&R, PLEASE! Also if you have any ideas about what should come next, tell me. **


	2. Seeing Sharpay

**Voila, your second chapter.**

**Thanks to any who reviewed (if anyone did)!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing except the storyline. Which kinda sucks…**

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

At first Gabi was nervous about being away from Troy. Whenever they traveled, he took care of everything had just let her relax; she was terrified that she'd miss her flight home or get hit by a car.

But as the days leading up to departure progressed, she grew increasingly excited. The idea of being on her own carried a sense of independence, like she was finally stepping away from Troy. Even when she was cyber-dating Ryan, she had been connected to Troy, missing him, thinking about him, and often pretending that she was talking to Troy instead of Ryan. Now, she was truly free – free of dating at all, in fact, not just Troy but any male dominance.

By the time she'd set foot in her plane to New York, she was bubbling over with anticipation. The second the flight attendants announced that it was time to deplane, she was up and practically running down the aisles, muttering a rushed "thanks" to the stewardesses as she passed them, she breezed through baggage check and the shuttle and found herself standing in the hotel room, grasping her many bags and gazing at the single queen-size bed in the center of the low-budget room.

As she moved forward, unloaded her baggage onto the floor by the nightstand, and sank slowly and with relish onto the sofa made for one, she noticed an ornate card lying on the blankets. She hurried over and picked it up, feeling the overwhelming sense of eagerness returning as she read the following words:

_Dear _Gabriella M. Montez,

_We here at the Y Institute are very grateful that you have R.S.V.P'd our invitation to the High School Reunion of the '07 Class, and look forward to seeing you at this traditional gathering of old classmates to "catch up", as they say, on each other's current lives._

_It has been a long time, but as we greet the year of 2037, we hope that you will see through young eyes again, forget past quibbles, and resurrect old friendships. We here at the Y Institute take these things very seriously. We believe in closely woven alumni relationships to specifically suggest and promote the idea that, after so many years, we are still a big, happy family._

_The reception of returning graduates will begin at: _6:30 p.m. _tomorrow evening. _

_This is a black-tie event. Please dress, as we used to say, according to the "Code of Conduct", though now your code lies solely in your hands. _

_The event shall close at approximately: _10:30 p.m. ___A limo service will be provided for those who have sent prior requests with payment. Free limo service is provided to those students who graduated with honor/received honors during their years at Y Institute._

_Once again, we look forward to receiving you at our Grand Ballroom in the Y Institute's East Wing. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Principal Chester J. Pulaski _

_Vice Principal Monica Martha Llewellyn-Dave_

_Registrar Anne Juniper Beans Pulaski _

_Official CPA (Concerned Parents Association) Chairwoman Rere Hobo _

_CPA Director of Charitably Funded Events, Kathryn Hyde, CPA Director of Decoration at Charitably Funded Events, Deanne Welch _

It was vanilla-scented paper. Gabi grinned inwardly; the school had not lost its touch for overdoing things a tad.

She called Troy, but he didn't answer; she called the Y Institute to confirm the times, but they didn't answer, either. She dwelled a few minutes on wondering how they'd gotten her hotel room, and then discovered that her stomach was roaring with hunger. Grabbing her purse, she headed out for a walk along the boulevard that she remembered walking so many times before, on the way to her mother's flat from school.

She had had few friends, but those she did have were amazingly close. They had spent so many days together, chilling and sharing burgers because they couldn't afford to buy individual ones. She'd hung only with those on the scholarship fund, because otherwise she was constantly teased and put in awkward positions for being poor.

It had been nice. And when she was the first to get a boyfriend… she was treated like practical royalty.

She had entered a burger place without even noticing it; she had been so lost in her recollections. She recognized it as one of the expensive joints they had never been able to afford. It was slickly decorated, with uniformed waitresses with name tags and plush cushioned red booths.

It was nearly empty except for an old couple sharing a milkshake at the bar. Gabi smiled; she imagined herself doing the same with Troy one day. They _would_ return to Ford Springs together, of course, and wherever Troy had grown up, because she knew he hadn't always lived in Albuquerque. She wanted him to see her hometown, and she wanted to see his.

She ordered at the counter and sat down, fiddling with her credit card. She had just enough to make it through the NY trip if she budgeted. The rest was locked away for groceries and emergencies; they ran on tight inflow.

She polished off the burger faster than she had thought possible; she was mildly mollified but still susceptible to more sustenance when she began on her fries and slightly watery milkshake.

She was getting up to clear her tray and leave when a waitress holding a tray of used paper cups came breezing by, leaving behind her a faint whiff of perfume…  
Gabriella gasped so loudly the counter servers and the elderly couple turned around and stared. Ignoring this, she hurried after the waitress. The blonde ponytail… her pink, sparkly shoes… "Sharpay!" she called as the waitress entered the EMPLOYEES ONLY washroom.

The door opened again and Sharpay Evans came out, staring blankly at Gabriella.

She hadn't changed in the least; her hair was still the same color and she was still gorgeous, if evilly so. But Gabi had never thought she'd ever see Sharpay Evans _serving _people. People always served _her_.

"Sharpay!" Gabi cried again, holding out her arms for a hug.

"Who are you?" Sharpay asked, looking a little scared. Her eyes darted between her colleagues and the only other diners.

"Gabriella Montez…?" Gabi lowered her arms and waited expectantly. High school hadn't been that long ago…

Sharpay snapped her fingers in recognition and smiled blandly. "What are you doing in New York?"

"I used to live here, in Ford Springs," Gabi explained. "My high school reunion is here. From the Y Institute."

"What, that seminary? I live nearby there," Sharpay said thoughtfully, wiping her hands on her apron. "Imagine the chances!" she laughed a little nervously.

"Do you work here full-time?" Gabi asked, trying to be delicate with the subject in case Sharpay was sensitive about her position.

"Of course not," Sharpay said, waving a jewelry-clad hand. "This is for one of my roles. I do Broadway, you know. I'm actually very famous, though of course, only amongst the high society who can afford to see my productions." She put no emphasis on the words, but still spoke them pointedly.

"Why are you waiting for one of your roles?" Gabi asked, confused, and trying to ignore the burning snub.

"Because, I need to get into character," Sharpay answered quickly. "It's a modern Cinderella story. I work as a waitress at a crappy restaurant, you know, my Prince Charming comes to save me, etcetera."

"Lovely," Gabi forced a smile.

"Are you done eating, then?" Sharpay asked, eyeing the tray of junk still in Gabi's hands.

"Oh, yeah," Gabi said quickly, tossing the contents into the nearest trashcan. "I can't believe I'm seeing you here!"

"Yeah," Sharpay said. "It's very cool. If you'll excuse me…?"

"Wait, let's exchange phone numbers, I lost yours," Gabi said, dreaming about resurrecting her relationships and finding some part of her high school years again.

"OK." Sharpay pulled out a pad of paper and quickly scribbled her number down; Gabi wrote hers down for Sharpay. "So, uh, how come you're not going to the East High reunion?" Sharpay asked as she put Gabi's number into her electronic rhinestone address book.

"Oh, uh, you know… thought I'd go to the sophomore year instead, shake things up," Gabi told her. "What about you?"  
Sharpay groaned and rolled her eyes. "I excused myself with 'Too busy, swamped with work' but it's not like I'd go back and meet up with them like old chums. I only dealt with you guys senior year because otherwise, Ry would've been unbearable. No offense," she added.  
Gabi sighed and didn't reply.

"How _is_ Ryan?" she asked as a second thought, pocketing Sharpay's number.

"Uh… he's good. You know the company's doing well and all."

"Did he marry Kelsi?"

Sharpay looked at the tiled floor. "I… yes."

"Cute! How was the wedding? It's a shame we lost touch, I would've liked to see it."

Sharpay looked up and met Gabi's eyes for the first time. "They divorced. Kelsi was caught cheating with Jason."

Gabi stifled a gasp, but she could feel her eyes widen and her cheeks turn red. "That's horrible! How did she… meet Jason?"

"His collegiate team had a game in the area, and she and Ryan had dinner with Jason and Chad. I guess old flames never really die out, do they?" a small smile flickered on Sharpay's face.

"Well, that's awful," Gabi said, stating the overly obvious. "Did she and Jason… you know, last?"

"They're married. She text messaged me." It was clear that Sharpay found this extremely ironic. "Ryan's engaged to a girl from his dance company, and Kelsi just travels with Jason now; he makes enough money for the pair of them. And that's why Ryan's not going to the high school reunion."

"Oh," Gabi said, trying to find something else to say. "Hey, uh, do you know about anyone else?"  
"Ryan and Chad kept in touch, and obviously I kept in touch with Ryan. Chad married Tay."

"Do you know anything about Zeke?"

"Still single, but his cooking show is doing extremely well."

Sharpay was clearly in a rush; she kept on shifting her weight and was drumming her fingers on the countertop. Gabi stepped aside. "Go ahead, Sharpay,'' she said. "Talk to you later?"

"Sure." Sharpay hurried away.

Gabi watched her go, and wondered if, perhaps, she had not lost all chance of reuniting with her old life.


End file.
